Family Tents

I've been on at the wife about the joys of camping but she's been too deeply affected by the Glastonbury camping experiences of the 90's to understand what I've been on about. Until now. She was passing a big garden centre that has a camping exhibition on earlier and went in and now is converted by the comparative luxury on offer.

We're going back tomorrow now - so what should I be looking for (brands, price ranges, any style better than others?)

We'd be using it for family holidays so 2 adults / 2 kids, internal living area desirable, durability while useful isn't the top consideration because it'll get used a few times a year max and won't be constantly pitched and struck.

And once we've had a look tomorrow, and assuming there aren't great deals on offer because it's a show of sorts, what online retailers should I look at for target pricing?

I quite like the Outwell Hartford XL which is quite large for just two adults and two kids. It does howver have three separate sleeping pods, a large living area and an awning. Due to is size it would take some time to pitch but I would practise before getting to an actual campsite.

I don't think it's possible to regret having a tent too big. And if you intend to cook in it, which you will, then you should condsider those canvass bungalow jobbies with room for a table and chairs. I'd recommend a trailer tent and they are even better because it's like sleeping in a proper bed.

We use a North Face Trailhead 6. It has been really good for three people. They do a bigger one as well. Just had a couple of nights in the Forest of Dean which looks like it has good riding potential.

Vango Killington 900 here. Truly enormous. On sites that count pitches we have to pay for two.

However, last year on a long weekend when the weather turned, it paid for itself with enough play space for a 2year old and a 4 year old. Being semi-geodesic and having roughly a kerbillion guy ropes mean that in the squalls, ours was the only tent that didn't suffer damage or get substantially out of shape or blow down.

We have a Vango diablo 900 as well. Great tent, huge internal space, but hard work to pitch. Also the size of its footprint will mean that on a lot of sites they will either turn you away or you will have to book 2 pitches. This especially applies if you are looking for a pitch with a hook up.

If I was buying with the advantage of experience i would pick the Outwell Montana 6. Great tent. well thought out, decent size for a family of 4.

I've got a Vango Orchy 600 which is supposedly good for 6, but I wouldn't want more than 4 in it at a squeeze.

Have a look on the "Go Outdoors" website. They have some good deals at the moment.

My only tips are:

don't under-estimate how much space you will need in a tent. Get a nice big one to start with.
budget for table/chair/stove/kettle blah blah blah....it soon mounts up, but once you have it, you are sorted.